


Under the Umbrella

by dapperwings



Category: DCU, DCU (Comics)
Genre: Dorks in Love, F/M, Fluff, Kissing in the Rain
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-15
Updated: 2021-01-15
Packaged: 2021-03-13 01:15:29
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,099
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28769952
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/dapperwings/pseuds/dapperwings
Summary: What happens when Tim & Steph get caught in a downpour and there's only one umbrella? This, apparently.
Relationships: Stephanie Brown/Tim Drake
Comments: 2
Kudos: 20





	Under the Umbrella

**Author's Note:**

> No canon timeline, just these two being themselves in the rain, because who doesn’t love the ‘lovers in the rain’ trope?

“It’s raining!” Steph says. She points at the long glass window in the hallway.

We’re in the social sciences building at Gotham University. I don’t have class in this building, but Steph does, and I usually meet her here before we grab lunch together. Today I came early, and I’m so glad I did. I just _barely_ beat the rain.

“Great. Maybe we can wait it out.” I say, and even to my ears my voice sounds flat.

It does nothing to deflate Steph. I swear she _vibrates_ when she gets excited. Usually it’s cute, but this time I don’t get it. I hate the rain.

She grins wider and leans her shoulder against mine, pressing against me. Not hard enough to hurt, but I definitely feel her muscle. She’s strong; it’s one of the many things I like about her.

“C’mon, Tim. Let’s go out, _live_ a little!” she prods.

I know exactly what she’s doing. But it won’t work. I will not be goaded into standing under the rain. I’m not a kid anymore.

“It’ll probably be over in a few minutes.” I say.

Steph gives me a _look_ which means she’s not impressed. “That’s why we should go out _now_. C’mon!” She takes a couple steps towards the door.

I let out a sigh. This is the only time we can get lunch together. I’m hungry and I want to spend time with Steph. But I don’t want to go out in this.

_At all._

Unfortunately, I also know that ‘not wanting to do something’ is the exact _opposite_ of a roadblock for Steph. If anything, that’s the sort of attitude that enables her.

I sigh again, just so Steph knows I’m not going happily. She senses victory and lets out a whoop before I even set my backpack down to dig my umbrella out of it. I’ll go out with her, but I do _not_ have to get soaked.

“Aw, really?” she says when I zip my bag closed and stand up with the red umbrella in my hand.

I look at her; she’s got one eyebrow raised and a small frown.

“I’m not going without it. I don’t want to get wet.” There’s a _tiny_ bit of threat at the end of my voice.

_And don’t you dare splash me._

She stands there for a second, and I’m just starting to think she’s going to try and steal my umbrella or something when she shrugs and wheels on her feet. “See you out there!” she calls, and then she’s running through the double doors, out of the covered entryway, and into the downpour.

I walk after her and pop my umbrella in the covered entryway. It takes a second for the metal tab to click into the slot that holds up the umbrella; it’s cheap, got it from the campus bookstore. The thing’s so floppy I wonder if it’ll help out here anyway.

She wasn’t kidding; it’s raining, hard. The kind of rain that happens in the middle of a thunderstorm. I see Steph about twenty feet away. She’s not moving, just standing there getting _drenched_. I zip up my jacket and pull my hood up, hoping it will help, and make my way over to her.

My umbrella drums loudly the second I step out of the entryway. I hunch over and hope my jacket holds up to its claim of being completely waterproof. 

The rain splashes off the slick cement path as I walk and I _know_ my jeans are going to be damp and flap around my ankles like cold denim always does for the rest of the day. And my socks, they’re going to be _squishy_ by the time we make it to the cafeteria.

This was a horrible, horrible idea.

I walk up to Steph and she’s got her eyes closed. She just stands there, with her face tilted up. “Steph! C’mon, let’s _go_ ,” I emphasize.

She _knows_ I hate the rain, she _knows_ this, so why is she just standing still?

I know she hears me, but she doesn’t react except to smile a little wider than she already is. She’s only been out for a few seconds but she’s already soaked, her clothes and face are dripping and she’s still _smiling_. I don’t understand.

“Steph! Let’s go!” I reach out with my left hand, grimacing as I pull her slippery wrist. She lets me tug her hand, but doesn’t budge. “Steph!” I plead, and she finally turns her head and looks at me. Her blue eyes are impossibly bright in the rain. It kinda stops me for a second.

“Let’s stay!” she says, and I see joy in her face. My chest aches, a small tug, and for just a second I almost consider it.

She switches our grip, _fast_ , and then she’s pulling at my hand. I yank it back, and she lets me pull away.

“No, Steph. I’m not standing in the rain. You shouldn’t either, you could get sick.”

“Suit yourself,” she says cheerily, completely unfazed by the possibility of catching a cold. She grins at me, and this time I take a half-step back because that’s the mischievous grin she gets when she’s got a plan.

I’m very aware of the fact that my umbrella is the only thing keeping me dry other than my lightweight jacket (and it’s not doing that great a job). All Steph has to do is grab it and I’ll have next to _no_ defense against the rain. I tighten my grip.

The next thing I know she’s running away from me and my umbrella. I let out a breath and feel a sense of relief, not that I would _ever_ admit it.

I’m not scared. I just don’t want to get drowned in cold, wet, rain. 

I watch her go. She’s not so much running as leaping, landing in every single puddle. She’s laughing so loudly I can hear it through the rain, and she lets out an excited _whoop_ when she splashes in a big puddle. My chest does that little tug again. I try and ignore it.

Instead, I pick up her backpack. The front of the bag is dripping water, but she set it down at an angle, so the back is relatively dry. After some careful maneuvering, I get it adjusted and sling it over my shoulder. It still feels soggy against my back, and I try not to shudder. 

I head towards the cafeteria.

Steph’s way ahead of me, but I quickly realize she’s not running away from me. She’s keeping pace, glancing over at me every so often, so we stay close. It means she’s getting completely soaked, probably through to her skin, and she doesn’t seem to care at all.

I care. I definitely care.

I get about three steps before it hits me.

We took my car today. I have to drive her back to her apartment.

And I don’t have towels.

A spare costume, sure, but I don’t have any other change of clothes, or anything to help her dry off. I’m going to have to drive her home today and she’s going to drip all over my seats.  


_How can I not have towels?_ I berate myself for the stupid oversight and make a mental note to tell Alfred.

“How are you going to dry off?” I call, louder than normal to be heard over the rain. “You can’t wear your wet clothes all day, and we’re taking my car!”

She takes a running jump and lands _hard_ in a deep puddle. Her shoes entirely disappear, and she splashes cold water and mud high enough to splatter against her jacket and cheek. 

“We’ll figure it out!” she calls back to me, “Don’t worry about it. Come on, join me!” she offers. The path makes a sharp turn around the next building and Steph darts ahead, out of sight.

Yeah, that’s a hard _no_ from me. Instead, I roll my eyes and keep walking.

I turn the corner, the rain having already completely drenched the bottom of my jeans. My socks are wet and _oh_ I hate this so much. At this rate I’ll be walking around in damp clothes all day too. Great.

I see Steph ahead of me, in the middle of the path. She’s standing still again, and her shoulders are pulled back, her arms open, her head tilted up. She sticks her tongue out- she’s catching raindrops- and she's slowly turning, smiling like it’ll stretch her jaw.

I’m a few steps away and start to call out to her to _please_ stop goofing around, but I don’t even finish her name before there’s sunlight all around us. I guess a cloud broke, but I’m not thinking about that. Instead, I _look_. 

The red of my umbrella _glows_ , and the color reflects on my skin. The raindrops flash like pops of light in a circle around my feet, shattering sparkles like miniature fireworks.

The grass beside the path turns a shade of green I’ve never seen, and the buildings look like they’ve been freshly painted. Without really thinking about it, I stop walking. I drag my eyes everywhere, and focus on who’s right in front of me.

She’s absolutely glowing.

There’s this aura of light around her, trapped in the haze of raindrops that drip off every part of her. I see sparkles in the tiny drops caught in her eyelashes. One of them rolls down her eyelid and off her cheek, sliding around a speck of mud, and I watch as it snakes down her neck and disappears into her jacket collar.

She’s _stunning_ and-and her eyes are _closed_ , she’s _missing_ this, and I can’t- she’d _love_ this!

“Steph, look!” My voice sounds too excited and I know it, but I want her to see this.

It’s like I flip a switch. As soon as I speak, the sunlight disappears. The world slides back into grey and the raindrops turn into dull lines streaking through the air.

Steph opens her eyes and looks at me, her face radiant and curious.

“What?” she asks.

I freeze. I’m a genius and I know it, but right now I have _no_ idea how to explain what I just saw.

“The sun came out,” comes out of my mouth. I instantly cringe because even I can hear that makes no sense.

Steph just stares at me, and I look away. I feel my stomach curl up. I want to get away from here, out of the rain.

I need to try and convince her to come with me again. To dry off. To be anywhere but here. I force myself to look up, and the next thing I know she’s _moving_ and then she’s under the umbrella with me.

I startle, but her hands grab my face and I hunch my shoulders. I let out the start of an involuntary squeal because those hands are _cold_ , but I don’t get the chance to finish because then she’s kissing me. Her mouth meets mine and she’s pushing and _pressing_ and my brain kinda whites out.

I get lost in it.

When she pulls back, she goes just far enough to separate our lips, keeping her forehead pressed against mine and her hands on my face. She’s cold and water drips off my chin, but I’m not thinking about that now. My entire focus is on Steph. She’s wet and there’s mud on her face but for some reason that’s not so big a deal as it seemed a few seconds ago.

“I love you.”

She smiles, I can feel it against my cheek. “I know, dork. I love you too.”

I lean up and kiss her, and this time it’s a softer kind of kiss but it’s _just_ as good.

That’s when I realize both of my hands are keeping my umbrella up and somehow haven’t let it fall. That miracle aside, I switch my grip on the umbrella, and reach for her with my free hand, trying to make room for both of us under it. 

Out of _nowhere_ she nips the corner of my lip and pulls back. My eyes flash open and the mischievous grin is back on her face. She presses her wet, cold hands against my jacket, leaving two big damp handprints and pushes away.

I stumble back and she takes off laughing, shouting “See you in the cafeteria!” over her shoulder.

I stand there, staring, and realize I’m smiling. After a second I follow her, like always.

I don’t even notice the rain.


End file.
